Welcome
to Koh Chang's most backpacker friendly bungalows.
The Siam Hut Resort still remains loyal
to it's original mellow-out formula, in times when most of
our neighbors have torn down their relaxing beach bungalows
and replaced them with fancy concrete hotel rooms with 4 star
swimming pools in front of them and offer comfort and metropolitain
service to young families and older couples to prefer an early
night's rest and lot's of peace and quiet.
The
Siam Hut resort is one of the last resorts on Koh Chang island
(เกาะช้าง) where young and older people alike can relax, sit
back and enjoy the emerald clear sea, the quiet white beach
and the wonderful nature, without spending most of their money
on accommodations. Rates start at only 350 baht during the
low season and these wonderful Fan bungalows on the beach,
all with private bathroom with shower, only reach the level
of 500 baht during the hight season.
Please
note that we have only recently begun to accept reservations
by e-mail or online booking at the Siam Hut Resort on Lonely
Beach, so feel free to call us if you're afraid that something
went wrong. For the free spirits under you: we will welcome
each and every guest that decides to walk into our idyllic part
of the beach and requests a beach front bungalow with private
bathroom from us. At the Siam Hut bungalows you are welcome
to stay as long as you like or check out the next day: It's
all fine with us, just as long as you are happy!
the
Siam Hut MiniMart
Because Lonely Beach does not seem to attract the same amount
of 7-eleven shops as the rest of the beaches on the island
do, we found it necessary to provide our guests with the comforts
of having a convinience store in the Siam Hut bungalow complex.
So whether you need soap, toothpaste, a razor or a quick Red
Bull or Beer Chang: the Lonely Beach Mini Market has it on
their shelves or in their large coke and pepsi refigerators.
You will find the Siam Hut minimart on the road side at the
entrance to the Siam Hut grounds. We also service customers
from neighboring resorts like Bhumiyama, Treehouse & the
Siam Beach Resort
the
Siam Hut internet cafe
The most unique place to build an internet cafe on Koh Chang
must be where we built one: on the sea! Even with our hi-speed
internet access and only 6 computers to share that with, most
of our guests appear to be waiting for there screen to change,
while to stare over it, admiring the clear blue sea surrounding
it. Some people have been know to ask for a discount on their
usage minutes, because they spend more than 80% of their time
by just enjoying the view, with hardly any emails being send!
When the sun gets too hot during the hours around noon, make
certain that you take a few minutes to enjoy the excellent
view in the comforts of our air-conditioned internet cafe
or go do the opposite and get a traditional Thai Tatoo at
the Tatoo shop next to the internet cafe.
We
will soon start building a new web site for the Siam Hut bungalow
Resort, but because this backpacker resort is currently completely
operational (and has been for decades) we decided that you
deserve a preview of the natural beauty in and around the
Siam Huts on Koh Chang island and see what chillin' out in
paradise is really about.
Sea
front bungalows and garden view bungalows
the Siam Hut Resort offers two types
of bungalows.
The
Sea Front bungalows
Probably the most appreciated sea front bungalows on Ko Chang
island: the Beach Front bungalows at Siam Hut Koh Chang.
If
you are lucky enough to grab one of the front row bungalows
you will find that you not only get the best sea view and
the full sea breeze, but that your days will be filled with
fun, friends and fiesta. The path in front of the southern
Sea view bungalows is a track that leads to exciting places
on both sides and you will find that the people that walk
it always have the best tips or stories to tell. The north
side Sea View bungalows are actually more like Beach Front
Bungalows. Depending on the season, you'll be sitting on top
of the white sand beach or the somewhat darker rocks. You
will always be near the excellent buffet with the only on-beach
salad bar on the island and you will be just steps from the
internet cafe with an amazing view, the tattoo parlor and
the most chilling beach bar on Koh Chang's lonely beach. If
you visit Siam Hut during the peak season, you will find that
most, if not all, of the front row bungalows are taken by
long-stayers with the most amazing tan and big smiles on their
faces. If this happens you will have to decide whether you
prefer to clearly hear and smell the sea with a bit less of
a sea view, or that you prefer an more quiet bungalow on the
mountain side of the resort:
the
Garden View Bungalows
Still the cheapest bungalows with private bathroom on Koh
Chang: the Garden View bungalows at the Siam Hut resort on
Lonely Beach. With low season rates starting at only 200 baht,
the Siam Hut garden view bungalows are amongst the most popular
backpacker accommodations on the island. If cost is an issue,
the room rates and the cost of food and drinks at the Siam
Hut will come as a pleasant surprise to you.
All
Siam Hut bungalows have their own private shower and toilet
and there is a mosquito net which is regularly repaired, or
replaced, to protect you during the hours just before and
after sunset and dawn, when the female mosquitoes come looking
for blood. If you plan on spending those hours away from your
room, remember to bring along some mosquito spray or milk.
If you don't have any, you will be glad to know that your
garden bungalow lies within crawling distance of our Siam
Hut mini-mart.
If
at any time during the day or night you hear a lot bang: there
is no need to worry, it's probably just another coconut trying
to penetrate the roof of your garden view bungalow at max.
velocity. Just go back to sleep without worries, knowing that
these roofs are checked regularly and that they tend to be
coconut proof (no guarantees!)
Traveling
to the Siam Hut bungalows on Koh Chang the cheapest options:
- By Bus from Bangkok: Regular bus services depart from Bangkok's
Ekkemai and Mor Chit stations and are operated by 2 different
operators. Fares for the bus to trat are all around 250 baht.
There are cheaper 2nd class buses available, but seats on
those buses are not made for western people's dimensions.
During the day there will be a bus departing from Ekkemai
every hour on the hour and from Mor Chit roughly every two
hours. Government bus #99 will take you directly to Laem Ngop,
from where the ferries to Koh Chang depart. This bus departs
from Ekkemai station (next to the Skytrain station with the
same name) twice daily at 07:45 and 09:45. Most buses take
6 - 7 hours to reach Trat or Laem Ngop.
-
By minibus from Khao San road in Bangkok: Minibuses or, during
the high season, sometimes even tour buses depart early mornings
(usually before 08:00) from Khao Sarn road. Some companies
stop by the better known guesthouses with road access in the
area to pick up passengers, while others wait at a centrally
located pick up point. Seats on these vans can be booked from
any travel agent in the Kao Sarn area or elsewhere in Bangkok.
Fares are not fixed, so it may be advisable to shop around
a little before booking. Overall the fare should not be much
higher than that of the bus, but it will save you the trouble
of heading out to the bus station by bus or taxi. If there
are many backpack(er)s on a minibus, the trip can be very
uncomfortable. These minibuses will stop 2 or 3 times for
toilet breaks and / or refreshments and will take you to the
pier in about 5 to 6 hours.
-
By Bus from the new Suvarnabhumi international airport: Both
government bus # 99, as well as Tanakvee's daytime buses from
Mo Chit to Trat city now make stops at Bangkok airport. Bus
#99 will depart around 08:15 and 10:15 to continue directly
to Laem Ngop's piers, while the Tanakvee buses will collect
passengers at the airport around 06:30, 10:00, 13:00 and 16:00
to take them to Trat city, where they can change buses to
Laem Ngop and still be well on time before the last ferry
sails at 20:00.
Less
expensive, but much more comfortable:
- By Taxi: When in Bangkok, just pull over a driving taxi
and ask him if he want to take you to Trat (but make sure
to tell him that you want him to drop you in Laem Ngop). If
he agrees, verify that the fare will not be exceed the standard
fare of 3500 baht. At the airport: if you are approached by
the airport's limousine service, ask them if they are willing
to take you to Laem Ngop for 3500 baht. If not: get in line
for a regular taxi and offer the same. These taxi's have the
right to add 50 baht to the regular rate (even if it is the
rate you agreed upon), but it would show very little respect
if he would actually charge it for a long ride like this.
Taxi's will take 4 - 4 1/2 hours to Trat
-
By Siam Beach Minibus: If you are traveling with more than
3 persons and a lot of luggage, it will be much more comfortable
to arrange airport or downtown Bangkok pickup by our Siam
Beach Minibus service. More expensive than a regular taxi,
but this minibus will take you ALL the way from your pick
up point to any of the Siam Resorts and the fare includes
ferry tickets, expressway charges and other costs (like parking).
Most
expensive and not always the quickest:
- By Air: Bangkok airways transports you to Trat airport in
about 45 minutes. From there, the Bangkok Airways limousines
(a seat on a minibus) will take you all the way to Siam Hut
bungalows for a fare of 300 baht per person. This fare includes
the ferry tickets. Currently there are only two flights between
Bangkok international airport and Trat airport. The first
departs at 08:15 (PG 301) and then there is a large time gap
until 17:30 (PG 307).
From
the ferry pier to the Siam Hut Resort:
- Shared Taxi: These converted pick up trucks are a mix between
buses and taxi's. When on the island you can always waive
on down, ask how much they want to take you to your destination
and hop on if you agree on the rate. As these rates are not
official it may sometimes be possible to negotiate a little.
However, when getting off the ferry, rates are pretty much
fixed. If there are enough people to fill the taxi, the driver
will charge between 80 and 100 baht to take you to Siam Hut
bungalows. If you arrive late and there are less people, he
will ask for a higher rate or wait for the next ferry to bring
more people. Please note that there is no other form of transportation
available, if you consider negotiating the fare. Siam Hut
is usually the last stop on these bus / taxi lines and will
take about 30 to reach.
-
Private minibus: not always waiting to pick up customers at
the pier, but usually available during high / peak season
are the private minibuses. These will take only you and your
party directly to your destination for a higher fare than
you would pay on the shared bus-taxi's. In exchange for this
higher price tag, you will get a refreshing air conditioner,
waterproof and tumble proof luggage transport and a direct
ride to your destination. Average fare to Siam Hut bungalows
will be 700 - 800 baht.
